So, here I go, on my what should be monthly rant at Verizon. The good news
- finally, someone who actually did what needed to be done - I hope. The bad news, they keep our money for another couple of months. It's UNBELIEVABLE!
We live in a community which had an investment by Verizon, as it was their
2nd ever (1st full scale) all fiber, hi-tech, FIOS community. They did a small community in Texas before this, and then - voila - Brambleton. So everything here is fiber to the house, our house is wired throughout - some baseline, and then we paid the builders for additional drops. Our storage room - where the central board is - looks like a small IT company. No choice - except for how many outlets you actually want finished with plates
- beyond 4. We have data, tv, phone, & coax (satellite). Plus separate drop that we did wiring the house for sound. Had to pay the builder up front for the router and accoutrements. Done. HOA includes internet, basic cable along with the other normal stuff.
Now, 1st year - it was 8 months before we had a correct bill, forget correct listing. Got charged for router ($350) which a - we already had paid for & b - wasn't right cost. Would get charged for internet service - then for cable, all kinds of nonsense. Fight over phone service - which we negotiate
- our package is supposed to give us up to 4 numbers by distinctive ring. After a couple of months of fights, I get a 2nd number (for the business). Then the woman who handles the special Verizon office for our community calls and tells me that I can't have the 3rd number (fax) and that I'm lucky she's let the sneaked thru 2nd stay. HUH? This involves me threatening them with fraud.
Next, the HOA & Verizon change the TV arrangement because the original part of the community gets retrofitted to full fiber, and the FIOS TV conversion (it hadn't been approved by county when we moved in) is being done, finally. Which means that the HOA will cover the basic service, and we individually arrange and get billed for our set-top boxes. OK - they adjust the HOA fees
- after I and some others raise this issue at the HOA-Verizon briefing meeting. We are assured the billing office kinks are worked out, and they now have a "special" line/office all set up. Uh huh. I knew this was true when we got a lovely mailing advising us of the wonders of FIOS internet & pricing, (which we'd had since day 1, and is included in our HOS fees) We get our appt for installation, and it's during the Jewish Holidays - to be specific - on Yom Kippur. I call to change it - they tell me that we'll have to wait about 6 weeks - but in the meantime we'll be without TV service
- period. Because our block will be turned off from the original feed and switched to the new feed. So, after some ranting, raving, I get an apptmt that will have us only out for about 4 days. Some inconvenience, and not sure the Internet will be up, but we'll see. Then we get charged for a mieed appt - at $50. And then they don't show for the apptmt. So finally, we get someone at a different office and get the charges fixed and another apptmt. OK.
Next, the router goes out. After 3 days of arguing with tech support and trying to get it working - they agree to send a new one. Fine. Now the bills are wrong again and we get charged for the replacement router. And installation of the set-top boxes (which we self-installed). After about 6 weeks we finally get a credit arranged that shows up in another month - so
3-4 months they have our money (yup, we auto-pay this). Then after a couple of normal months - the power supply goes out on the router. Which means no net, no TV. And, you can't buy these - it's a weird voltage - and while we could get one at the Verizon store, they wouldn't/couldn't arrange the pick-up - we instead have to wait for UPS - another few days (the guy did overnight it - but it's not really overnight from them). Great. 3-4 peaceful months.
Now, this past spring - warnings for the digital conversion. In May we get letters to start arranging for any adapters we need. Free. HOA/Verizon deal. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I spent at least 12 hours of my life trying to get 3 stinking free adapters. I called in June, tried to do this - after 43 min on hold - and the not so clever girl finally tells me I have to give her a CC for the order. No, I finally lose it and tell her to get her supervisor. Eventually we do the order - but then I get disconnected. Call back, someone else - they work it thru - after about 30 min - I think this is done. 2 days later someone calls and says the order isn't right. Call them. Do again. No problem. A week later - no boxes - call to verify - no order exists. Do again. Now do it for 5 - since they're free, and that takes care of all the old tvs, and well, the anticipated breakage. That evening woman supposedly from Verizon HOA office calls and says order is correct, being done. OK. Same woman calls again, says problem with order can't be handled by office that did it and call her. HUH? Do call again - am finally assured that they're coming. We now get 3 boxes. OK. All good.
Next - the router craps out. After a good 3 hours jerking around with the tech support and trying to get things to work - which often involves running up and down many flights - the tech guy says - yup, it's pooched. We'll send you a new one. Call when it gets there so we can ping it to make sure everything resets. We do that. Router got here in about 2 days. Great.
Now the bill in Aug comes, and - surprise - we're billed for the free adapters. For 3. Next, Sept - billed for 3 and a Router for $54. Great. Next Octo - we're now billed for 6 adapters, same in Nov, then in Dec for 5. Each month, I have some conversation with Verizon about this. And, yup - today I notice that they already took the $$ for the bill due mid-next week. Nearly $170. Ouch. Call them, again. Spend an hour on the phone, and the nice lady is laughing "why are they billing you for this?" So, she has to go thru month by month and adjust the bills, and stop the wrong billing. Then I have to crawl under desk to get SN on this adapter, and go find the other 2 in boxes with their number so that Verizon can hace a record. FWIW, we only have 3, and use 1. Next - the router. She's happy to do the credit, but, it has to be approved by someone else. And then will get applied. Great, I thank her, etc.
Now.....for the rant ... She says "But..." - your bill closed yesterday (the one that will be due in March) and, well, the credits (of about $170) will be on the following one . I say "as in the bill for Mar, due in April?" Yup. So, they've been taking this money since last summer, and I won't get the credit until April? Or they could send me a check, maybe, in 4-6 weeks, but they do more research. Huh? Why not just credit it back to the account that pays it automatically? Nope - they don't do that. So, I'm kind of steaming, given our tight budget, and, well, we'll see. At least she was very nice, and is in the Verizon/community office, and gave me her name to follow-up. Ack. I think it's a no win. The kicker - Verizon world HQ - just about 3 mi up the road from here. It's a true Hobson's choice - the tech service is generally good in functioning, especially wireless - but the business end just stinks. If you switch to better business dealings, the tech side tends not to be so good. In this area, the only cable choice & phone landline is Verizon (the counties award areas). Though, we're downsizing our phone package, and I'm thinking of going to Vonage instead.
Ack. Sorry for the long saga. It's sadly kind of funny.
Ellice